New Neighbors

We're happy to have some wonderful new neighbors up in New Hampshire, including their sheep, chickens, roosters and as of last week...lambs, that live in our barns. We're thrilled to be learning about 'farm life' and to have such good people nearby.

1, 4. Spring lambs at home in New Hampshire

2, 5. Sharon Platt antiques

3. Elm and iron carding combs via Hirschhorn Antiques

6. Antique shepherd's cane via liveauctioneers

YIKES

Before

One of the first things we fell in love with when we first looked at our home in NH was the fireplace in our kitchen. Located in the 1790's portion of the house, it provided a cozy, warm space to entertain and a place of quiet on a chilly day. But as of this week, our fireplace is being dismantled after becoming unsafe within a matter of months. We're very sad, but we're glad we didn't burn the house down. Next step? Stay tuned!

During

"The Beauty of Life"

Have nothing in your houses which you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.

- William Morris

William Morris Pimpernel Wallpaper; local New Hampshire garden

William Morris Acanthus Wallpaper; flower speciman

William Morris Woodland Weeds Wallpaper; rock landscape, New Hampshire

William Morris Willow Wallpaper; morning sky through the leaves

All the Fixin's

Our first 4th of July in New Hampshire was picture perfect. Neighbors next door to the General Store threw a huge party in their barn complete with a bluegrass band and spectacular fireworks. And Monday morning brought the classic sites and sounds of a Parade on Main Street in Saxtons River, a nearby town in VT.

Independence Day Parade, Saxtons River, VT

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Around New Hampshire

When we're home in New Hampshire, our senses are filled with the most beautiful, sweetest smelling and peaceful-sounding stimuli. This weekend was no different. We took a car ride here and there, taking a break from our chores and letting the paint dry (we're painting the guest house). While we can't bring you the latter sensations, here's what we saw:

An 18th century house given new life- moved to a beautiful setting and faithfully restored

The observed being observed

A stop at a farm stand before a storm

On our friend Dave's barn- a find becomes sculpture

The fog rolls in on the Cold River

Our neighbor stops for a visit- Wellies in our mudroom

Looking Back

Late 19th, early twentieth century photo of the house and its second family

We've owned the house in New Hampshire for four seasons now. We love every season, every day and each week we work on stripping back both the interior and exterior to its original glory. In spite of snakes and shrubs, snow and rain, we're making headway, here are a few snapshots of the (exterior) progress:

Late Autumn

Winter

Spring (shutters removed)

Summer (shrubs and bushes donated to a friend)

Shadowy Moments of Spring

We've come a long way in our New Hampshire home since the first frost of Winter (above), but even Spring has its macabre moments...

Fog rolling through the woods

Unidentified spider on the screen door

A dewey morning

Afternoon shadows against the mudroom door

On the Line

There's an old clothesline in the back of our NH house that we've been meaning to remove for quite some time. Lucky for us, we haven't gotten around to it and it came in handy the other day (after washing a coffee stain out of a table cloth). Seeing that cloth hang on the line made us think of the time when there was a clothespin factory along the river of our backyard, and all of the beauty it helped to create...along with the wind.

William Aiken Walker, Autumn Scene

Old clothesline against a peak of our house in NH

E. Saglio, La Buanderie

Stone foundation of the old clothespin factory along the Cold River

Carlo Cressini, La Stiratrici

Clothespins on the line, after a few years of inactivity

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John Sloan, Woman's Work

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John Sloan, Sun and Wind on the Roof

A Peek Inside

Even though it's beautiful outside and the tress are finally beginning to bud, we look inside today at our upstairs keeping room in New Hampshire. Our hunt has been amazingly rewarding the past few weeks and we've picked up pieces whose palette, patina and evidence of hand compliment our 19th century home...while still feeling fresh and modern. We're so excited about how it's coming together that we wanted to share some of our favorite finds...

19th century grain painted cupboard in blue paint, hand woven Shaker rug

Pennsylvania red painted blanket chest ca. 1800

Oil on canvas portrait of a woman, 19th century, alongside two mid-century vessels

18th century shoe forms, early bee skep and wallpapered box

Shoe form detail

Shadows against a rope chaise from 1810 in red paint

In a Fog...of Sugar

This weekend we had the privilege of visiting our friend Dave's Sugarhouse in action. Upon entering, we were engulfed by a dense steam that smelled a bit like cotton candy. Dave showed us how the sap darkens and thickens as it boils, moving from a clear, watery substance to the thick amber of Grade A maple syrup.

Sun rays break through the steam while the arch boils sap

The arch's main exhaust pipe soars to the sky through the roof

Cold sap funnels into the arch and is heated from below

The roof is customized with trap doors to release the steam

Once the sap reaches optimum temperature, it's filtered through natural fibers to eliminate the niter (or sugar sand)

The sap gets darker and thicker as it boils

Our first taste of this year's Maple Syrup...amazing!